Angela McLaren had an EZ Bake Oven, but it was her mother that helped inspire her to start baking when she was very small.

Now, she owns Beaverton's first scratch bakery — First We Eat Dessert.

McLaren, 28 and the mother of daughters ages 3 and 5, is serving up homemade doughnuts, pies, bread, cupcakes, brownies, muffins, cookies and cakes. The business opened Jan. 30, at 3210 West Lang Rd.

"I like seeing other people enjoy what I've made," McLaren said of the desserts, some that look like works of art needing framed.

She said doughnuts are the business' biggest seller and she works to make them exciting and different, with various colors including purple, blue and yellow.

Gladwin County resident Ken Harrison has been to the business a few times, noting that he loves it. He said Friday that the business is an asset to the town and county.

"She's very focused," said employee Beth Okoniewski of McLaren.

McLaren didn't know what to expect when opening, but said business is "staying steady" with orders and customers coming in from Gladwin and Midland counties. She said the customers have been very supportive, saying they want her to succeed.

"Delicious," said May Langston, of Midland referring to the doughnuts. Langston, along with her friend, Ben Warren, also of Midland, made the trek Friday.

"I heard about it from a friend who ordered from here, and wanted to come see it," Langston said.

McLaren said when people drive 30 miles on icy roads, she feels "very appreciative."

There is also seating inside the bakery along with Wi-Fi. So, patrons can have coffee with their doughnuts without going out into the cold.

Prior to opening her own bakery, she did custom baking orders at Welcome In. There, she developed a following from customers in Midland, Gladwin and other areas. She also sold her baked goods at the Beaverton Farmers Market, which she will continue to do when it opens in the spring.

"Business has been very good," McLaren said, noting that the opening was six months in the making.

The name stemmed from something she and her sister came up with that was inspired by a saying, "Life is short, eat dessert first."

McLaren, a 2008 Beaverton High School graduate, said she was extremely nervous in the months leading up to the opening. However, she was feeling more confident knowing she would have a friend, Amy Athey, as her right-hand person. But months before opening, Athey died in a house fire, along with her daughter and son. Despite the loss, McLaren knew Athey would want McLaren to continue the dream.

While McLaren was concerned about opening her own business, she had an example in her father, Mark Baker. Baker opened his Beaverton business, ABC Auto Body and Collision when he was 23, and it remains successful.

McLaren is still getting acquainted with the schedule. She begins making doughnuts and other baked goods at 3:30 a.m. with her dad. Baker fries the doughnuts in the wee hours of the morning before heading to his business. McLaren keeps jokingly trying to convince Baker to retire and work for her — for free of course.

"He's the one who always says, 'It's time to make the doughnuts,'" McLaren said.

First We Eat Dessert is open from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and is closed Sunday and Monday.